Boost Your Voice
Boost Mobile
Issue 42 | March 2017
Agency
180LA
Creative Team
Chief Creative Officer William Gelner Executive Creative Directors Eduardo Marques Rafael Rizuto Creative Directors Mike Bokman Jason Rappaport Digital Creative Director Karan Dang Director of Art & Design Chris Welsby ACD/Copywriter Tylynne McCauley ACD/Art Director Brian Farkas Designers Matt Jensen Delaney Maher
Production Team
Head of Production Natasha Wellesley Executive Producer David Emery Producer Aine Carey Senior Content Manager Jay Lledo Social Media Manager Karla Burgos Digital Producer Ryan Schmidt Executive Digital Producer Stephen Fahlsing Project Manager Lisa Payton Creative Technologist Jefferson Wu UX Designer Stacey Savage Production Co The Corner Shop Recording Studio Therapy Studios Website Digital Company Jam3 Editorial Company Melvin Head of Account Management Chad Bettor Account Director Mike Slatkin Account Manager Eric Reilly Planners Theo Soares Cecelia Girr Director of Business Affairs Loretta Zolliecoffer Business Affairs Amy Sharma Government Outreach Team Jason Huddleston Leah Couvelier Steve Brothers Russell Milton Nicole Rejwan Khalilah Waajid Kayla Mitchell Lawrence Gilliam Missy Evans Jordan Zolliecoffer Chance Zolliecoffer Breely Windham Shek Shem
Other Credits
Client Boost Mobile Director, Brand Strategy and Marketing Communications Peiti Feng Sr. Manager Social & Integration Jeremy Agers Sr. Manager Brand Strategy Kham Lam Sr. Manager Advertising & Creative Nick Holt Social Media MGR Ginger Conrad Brand Coordinator, Social & Integration Amanda Nogaki
Date
October 2016
Background
Boost Mobile was a prepaid wireless carrier with a brand mission to help their customers be heard, primarily urban, working-class minorities, a demographic that was particularly challenged when there were elections.
With fewer voting locations and volunteers, they were more likely to spend longer in lines.
Because Boost Mobile stores were located in these communities, there was an opportunity to help and offer Boost stores to serve as voting locations on Election Day.
Idea
Since polling booths were determined on the county level, making this possible required calling every county with a Boost store in the U.S., 817 in total. Many were sceptical or downright resistant. However, a number of election officials were also of the belief that the system needed change. Turning Boost stores into official polling places marked an unprecedented partnership between government and a corporation in a national election.
On November 8th, people across the country voted in Boost stores. While long lines continued to be a problem in many low-income neighborhoods, in Boost precincts voting ran smoothly.
Leading up to Election Day, a light was shone on the issue of unequal voting access with election officials and voting rights groups.
Collaborating with hip-hop artists, Boost did what it could to inspire people to get out and vote.
Results
While nationwide voter turnout was 58%, in Boost precincts turnout was 73%.
Turnout in Boost precincts increased 23% on average over the 2012 election.
Event with Chance the Rapper led to the highest early voting day in Chicago history.
766M total campaign impressions.
Boost Mobile has committed to continue and expand this program in future elections.
Our Thoughts
Turning your store into a polling booth. Wow! While most brands wanted nothing to do with the election, especially since it was so unpleasant, here was a company seeing that it had a civic duty to help make it easier for people to vote.
Many Americans felt disenfranchised by the ID requirements that had become common in many states. These created barriers to voting. So while the system had been set up to ensure equality at the ballot box, actually access to it was becoming less equal. What Boost did was to try to restore some balance and encourage low-income Americans not to be spectators but participants.
As a piece of brand communication in support of the ‘make your voice be heard’ positioning.